Civet de poulpe réunionnais

Name: Civet de poulpe réunionnais
Total time: 110 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Réunion
Ingredients: 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) cleaned octopus (zourite (Réunion octopus)); 250 ml (1 cup) full-bodied red wine; 4 ripe tomatoes (500 g / 18 oz), chopped; 2 yellow onions (250 g / 9 oz), sliced; 4 cloves pink garlic, pounded; 1 piece of fresh ginger (25 g / 1 oz), crushed; 2 cloves; 1 sprig of fresh thyme; 3 tbsp sunflower oil; 1 pinch of fleur de sel

Réunion octopus stewed in red wine

⏱ 110 minServes 4Medium380 kcal

A recipe from Le Chaudron — the cooking of France’s regions.

01 — Ingredients4 servings

1.2 kg (2.6 lb)cleaned octopuszourite (Réunion octopus)
250 ml (1 cup)full-bodied red wine
4ripe tomatoes500 g / 18 oz), chopped
2yellow onions250 g / 9 oz), sliced
4 clovespink garlic, crushed
1piece of fresh ginger25 g / 1 oz), crushed
2whole cloves
1 sprigfresh thyme
3 tbspsunflower oil
1 pinchfleur de sel (flaky sea salt)

1.2 kg (2.6 lb) cleaned octopus zourite (Réunion octopus)
250 ml (1 cup) full-bodied red wine
4 ripe tomatoes 500 g / 18 oz), chopped
2 yellow onions 250 g / 9 oz), sliced
4 cloves pink garlic, crushed
1 piece of fresh ginger 25 g / 1 oz), crushed
2 whole cloves
1 sprig fresh thyme
3 tbsp sunflower oil
1 pinch fleur de sel (flaky sea salt)

Serves 4. In the app, quantities adjust to the number of guests on their own — and the ingredients go straight to your shopping list.

02 — Equipment

1 cast-iron Dutch oven (26 cm / 10 in) with lid

1 mortar and pestle (12 cm / 5 in)

1 cutting board (35 × 25 cm / 14 × 10 in)

03 — Method

Cut the octopus into 4 cm (1½ in) pieces, then sear it in the hot, dry Dutch oven for 10 minutes, stirring; it releases a purple liquid that you let evaporate.
Set the octopus aside, add the oil and brown the onions for 8 minutes, then add the garlic-ginger paste pounded in the mortar and cook 2 more minutes.
Return the octopus with the chopped tomatoes, thyme and cloves, and stir for 3 minutes to coat each piece.
Pour in the red wine, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over very low heat for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring now and then.
Check tenderness by piercing a piece: the fork should slide in easily. If not, keep going in 15-minute stretches — octopus doesn’t forgive impatience.
Reduce the sauce uncovered for 10 minutes until thick and mahogany-colored, then serve with white rice and beans, the way they do in the island’s highlands.